atomic power plants

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "atomic power plants" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to facilities that generate electricity through nuclear reactions. Example: "The government is investing in the development of new atomic power plants to meet the growing energy demands."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Conventional atomic power plants generate energy by the fission, or splitting, of heavy atoms of uranium or plutonium.

The New York Times

Atomic power plants now in operation use the fission principle that produces the atomic bomb.

The New York Times

Two giant atomic power plants dominate the flat shingle shoreline of this blustery bit of the Channel coast.

The Economist

Q. Rather than put the earth's environment at risk, why not periodically shoot small loads of the waste from atomic power plants into space?

The New York Times - Science

With many employees eligible for retirement, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has difficulty finding nuclear engineers to monitor the safety of atomic power plants.

The New York Times

And he says that pouring money into new atomic power plants can only take investment away from renewables, whose costs are dropping, unlike those of atomic power.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Only 16km from Lockerbie stands the Chapelcross atomic power plant, one of the oldest in Britain.

The Guardian

There is also an alarming account of a visit to an atomic power plant.

The Economist

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine — Forbidding under a cold, gray sky, the dead atomic power plant here is a living enterprise.

The Washington Post

There his nuclear skills helped integrate an atomic power plant into Galileo, a $1.6 billion spacecraft destined to study Jupiter and its 16 moons.

The New York Times - Science

The plans for the UK's first new atomic power plant in a generation, at Hinkley Point, have already run into controversy.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the environmental or safety aspects, consider using "nuclear power plants" instead of "atomic power plants" as it is the more common and widely accepted term in scientific and technical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "atomic power plants" interchangeably with facilities that produce atomic weapons. While both involve atomic processes, power plants are for energy generation, whereas weapons facilities are for creating explosives. Be specific in your terminology to avoid misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "atomic power plants" primarily functions as a noun phrase. It acts as a subject or object in a sentence, referring to specific facilities that generate electricity using nuclear energy. As Ludwig AI points out, it’s grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "atomic power plants" is a grammatically sound and commonly used noun phrase to describe facilities generating electricity through nuclear reactions. While largely interchangeable with ""nuclear power plants"", it's important to use precise terminology, particularly when discussing safety, environmental impacts, or specific plant functions. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in various contexts, although the term “nuclear” is more prevalent in contemporary scientific and technical discourse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nuclear power stations

Replaces "atomic" with its synonym "nuclear", and "plants" with "stations", maintaining the same meaning.

nuclear energy plants

Substitutes "atomic" with "nuclear" and uses "energy" to describe "power", offering a slight variation in wording.

nuclear generation facilities

Uses a more formal term, "facilities", instead of "plants", while retaining the core concept of nuclear energy production.

atomic energy facilities

Replaces "plants" with "facilities", keeping the meaning similar but sounding slightly more formal.

nuclear reactors

Focuses on the core technology used within such plants. A more specific alternative.

atomic fission plants

Highlights the type of nuclear reaction involved, which is atomic fission.

power generation plants using atomic energy

A more descriptive and expanded version that explicitly states the energy source.

atomic energy infrastructure

Focuses on the broader infrastructure associated with atomic energy.

nuclear power infrastructure

Similar to the previous entry, but uses "nuclear" instead of "atomic".

atomic industrial complexes

This refers to an extensive system related to the atomic industry. A more generic alternative.

FAQs

What is the difference between "atomic power plants" and "nuclear power plants"?

The terms are largely interchangeable. "Nuclear power plants" is more commonly used in contemporary contexts, but "atomic power plants" is still understood to refer to the same facilities that generate electricity from nuclear reactions.

How do "atomic power plants" generate electricity?

Atomic power plants generate electricity through nuclear fission, a process where the nucleus of an atom is split, releasing heat. This heat is used to boil water, creating steam that drives turbines connected to generators, which produce electricity.

Are "atomic power plants" safe?

Atomic power plants have safety protocols and measures to prevent accidents. However, like any industrial facility, there are inherent risks. Modern designs and regulations aim to minimize these risks, but public perception often focuses on past incidents like Chernobyl or Fukushima.

What are the alternatives to "atomic power plants" for generating electricity?

Alternatives to atomic power plants include renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro power, as well as fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Each source has its own set of benefits and drawbacks in terms of cost, environmental impact, and reliability.